The Planets

June 12, 2012novel | pb | 227 pgs5.5" x 8.5" 978-1-934824-39-9 A 2013 Best Translated Book Award Finalist When he reads about a mysterious explosion in the distant countryside, the narrator’s thoughts turn to his disappeared childhood friend, M, who was abducted from his home years ago, during a spasm of political violence in Buenos Aires in the early 1970s. He convinces himself that M must have died in this explosion, and he begins to tell the story of their friendship through a series interconnected vignettes, hoping in this way to reanimate his friend and relive the time they spent together wandering the streets of Buenos Aires. Sergio Chejfec’s The Planetsis an affecting and innovative exploration of mourning, remembrance, and friendship by one of Argentina’s modern masters. Translated from the Spanish by Heather Cleary •  About the Author: Sergio Chejfec, originally from Argentina, has published numerous works of fiction, poetry, and essays. Among his grants and prizes, he has rec